A Cat's Cry
by EpitomeOfAshei
Summary: A seeming series of unfortunate happenings is Misaki's life. But despite the hardships, she manages to keep her chin up. That is, until she's the main suspect for a large-scale robbery. Cue Entrance: Usui Takumi. Will his mysteriously perfect run-in with our female protagonist prove more than just a lucky coincidence? - May later be Rated M for Adult Themes.
1. Chapter 1

"What are your relations to this woman, sir?" The officer pressed, tilting her chin forward in suspicion.

"Well… none, really. Apparently, we go to the same high school, but I've never seen her before. She caught my eye earlier, and I just want to take her to dinner, to be honest," the interrogee responded thoughtfully. He mulled over his response for a moment, before returning eye-contact and beaming a pearlescent smile.

Mouth parting in awe, the detective shook her head before slamming her hands onto the desk.

 _How very cliché_ , the man pondered, _will she shine the overhead lamp in my eyes next?_

"Look, kid. She demanded she call your number, instead of an immediate relative's. She wouldn't phone some guy she had only recently met to pick her up from jail. Do you realize how suspicious that is?" She didn't wait for an understanding response, but instead pressed on.

"If you are in any way related to the individual, or the crime committed, you will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. I will see to it myself. I don't play games around here, and that coy grin on your face won't charm me to your will."

Despite the indirect accusation, he maintained his "coy grin", crossing his arms in entertainment.

"Look, _ma'am_. I couldn't even tell you the girl's first name. I've already given the full story of what I know. I'm not one to beat around the bush, after all," he held up his hands defensively before continuing, "So if that's all, I'll be collecting my prize, and be on my way."

He stood to exit, but her voice pierced the air.

"Prize?! What kind of twisted game are you playing here? You claim to not know this woman personally, yet you'll swoop in and rescue her without the blink of an eye, claiming her to be some prize? There's definitely something you're not telling me, and I will not permit you to leave until the full truth is known."

Patiently, he turned towards the flustered woman, respecting that she was truly just doing her job. In all honesty, he understood her confusion; this was no ordinary situation. However, he did grow tired of playing the back-and-forth game with her.

"Your professionalism is faltering, ma'am. I digress, this is quite the peculiar situation. But you cannot legally contain me here without sound evidence that I am linked to the crime. I came to bail someone out, and instead received a full blown interrogation. Truthfully, you cannot link her to the crime either; she just appears to be your first suspect, and therefore you cannot hold her either. I'll gladly return for more questioning once some solid ground is established. But, I assure you, there is none; I have no prior relations to this woman. Frankly, all this talking has made me quite hungry; I'd like to get to dinner as soon as possible. Now, if that is all, I'll be on my way."

He bowed respectively towards the woman who had just unabashedly showered him with questions, before slipping out the door.

Once the detective knew he was beyond earshot, she let out a frustrated sigh.

 _Don't take me for an idiot, boy. I may be young, but I'm not inept. I'll reveal this case for what it really is soon enough._

* * *

\- 2 Weeks Before -

"Onee-chan…" her sister whined tiredly, "when's dinner?"

Misaki stood triumphantly in the kitchen, an all but destroyed apron tied around her waist, and a look of valiance on her face.

"Just a minute, I'm almost done!" she called back to her sister, whom had been holed up in her bedroom for a majority of the evening, waiting to be fed.

"Hurry up already," she retorted.

"Oui, did you finish your homework yet Suzuna?" The chef growled before hearing Suzuna's footsteps prance down the hallway before hiding behind a closed door.

 _That ought to buy me some time_ , Misaki sighed and wiped the sweat off her chin onto her already dingy shirt sleeve, _the last thing I need is Suzuna falling behind in school_.

Misaki and her sister lived in quite the peculiar situation, one atypical of two teenaged sisters. Both of their parents were out of the picture. They did not classify themselves as orphans though, as their father had left on his own accord. Upon his unannounced departure, an enormous debt was placed onto Misaki's poor mother, whom her father had managed to pile up unbeknownst to his family.

Determined as her mother was, she managed to juggle three jobs (sometimes even four, when money was exceptionally scarce) in an effort to support her children, and to make payments towards the towering debt. Growing up, Misaki always saw her mother as a hero. Once Misaki was of working age she followed her mother's footsteps and picked up a part-time job after school. Though her contribution was small, it still helped ease the burden on her mother's back, which was all Misaki wanted.

There were often nights where Misaki's mother had worked an exceptionally long day, and would return home hobbling on weak knees and sore feet. Her back had started to curve forward due to the daily strain, and some nights were worse than others. On these days, Misaki would draw her mother a bath, feed her whatever lukewarm meal she could conjure, and help her to bed.

It was on these nights that Misaki raged a mental war with herself. She knew that her mother could not continue the way she was; her health was directly reflecting that. Misaki danced around the thought of picking up another job at the cost of her stellar grades, or dropping from high school altogether. But she knew this would break her mother's heart. The only reason that she worked so many jobs day after day was so her beloved daughters could go about with a somewhat normal life. She often expressed her dreams of Misaki going off to a prestigious Undergraduate school and later receiving her Doctorate degree. Misaki would always rub her mother's back in comfort and nod, not wanting to upset her with the prospect that they could not _afford_ to send Misaki to college.

Misaki and her mother did their best to shield the ugliness of their situation from young Suzuna. They knew that she was too naïve and innocent to comprehend the severity of their misfortunes, and wanted to ensure that her upbringing was as normal as possible. Never did they entertain the thought of having Suzuna work part-time when she was old enough. They wanted to protect her as best they could from the cruel way of the world. Eventually, it seemed more like two mothers caring for their beloved daughter, as they took turns cooking and tending to Suzuna's needs. Though she gave about airs that she was aloof to the situation, Suzuna was no fool, and stayed up late at night worrying over her mother and sister.

After some odd years had passed living this grueling lifestyle, Misaki's mother fell incredibly ill. Due to an extreme lack of sleep and nutrients, the excessive workload had all but wiped out her immune system. She was diagnosed with a severe case of pneumonia in early January of Misaki's final year of high school. Despite doctors' best efforts, and with what the Ayuzawa family could afford, her mother passed away almost 2 weeks later.

Misaki blamed herself. She woke up with the inexplicable guilt every morning, and fought it every night until she forced herself to sleep. Suzuna was equally heartbroken, but handled her grief in a different manner. She began entering in as many raffles as she could, as she was too young to begin working, and was surprisingly fortunate at winning prizes. Though Misaki was skeptical at first, she was soon fully supporting Suzuna's efforts and always commended her for the amazing payoff. Often times, the raffle prize would be bulk unperishable foods that would feed the sisters for a few weeks. Since money to spare for groceries was sparse, they relied heavily on Suzuna's winnings.

Sakura and Shizuko, Misaki's closest friends, were not oblivious to Misaki's misfortunes. They helped as best they could, bringing over groceries, hand-me-down clothes for Suzuna, and offering to help Misaki cook and clean. More than often, Misaki turned them away. She was already indebted beyond belief due to her father's negligence, and didn't want to feel indebted to her best friends as well. She greatly appreciated their support, however, and it kept her going even when the darkest days overcame her.

Somehow, Misaki had managed to maintain her perfect grades, as well as secure her position as Student Council President, all while keeping up with her demanding part-time job. She was truly a force to be reckoned with. Her high school had just recently become co-ed, and she made it her utmost duty to ensure all females felt safe in the seemingly perverted environment.

The President gained a bit of a reputation for being almost tyrannical, often confiscating erotica magazines and berating the male students when they troubled a girl at all. She didn't mind the title she grew to be known by: the Demon President. In fact, she found gratification in it; it showed that her work was not in vain. And it wasn't; with the efforts she had put forth, reported harassments on campus dropped drastically in just one semester, and her female peers greatly admired her.

Though her life had proven to be difficult, Misaki was still hard-working and determined. She would not let Suzuna down. She would pull them from this debt, no matter what it took.

"Okay! Dinner's ready!" Misaki called as she set the steamed rice and beef stew on the small dining table. It barely sat two people, which was convenient for space conservation in the sisters' tiny apartment. Since their mother had passed, the monthly house payments and maintenance fees proved too daunting for the sisters to handle.

They had decided to downsize to a quaint apartment closer to the heart of the city. The floors were made of grungy looking wood, and the walls had stains that even the strongest cleaning agents couldn't budge, and the plumbing was far from reliable. There were only four rooms total in the space; two bedrooms, a half-kitchen, and an extremely cramped bathroom. But neither of them complained; the situation could always be worse, and the sisters were used to living in poor conditions. They were just thankful to have each other.

While eating the decently cooked meal, Suzuna and Misaki shared the events of their busy days. Suzuna had a study group meeting after school, and helped an elderly woman carry home her groceries on her way back to the apartment. She arrived home just before Misaki returned from work, meeting her at the door with a relaxed smile. Seeing her sister's calming expression upon coming home immediately put Misaki at ease.

Her part-time job had been especially tiresome today, and being at home with Suzuna was all she could think about until her shift was over. Misaki recalled a few instances where she had confronted some boys on their negligent behavior, citing one particular moment in which she had ripped the earrings right out of a delinquent's ears for not complying when asked politely.

Suzuna nearly choked on her food upon hearing this, and let out a genuine melodious laugh. Laughter in the Ayuzawa household was rare, and seeing Suzuna's amusement over such a silly ordeal made Misaki follow suit. They giggled together for the first time in what felt like years. It was precious moments like this that the sisters cherished, no matter how small they seemed.

In this cruel world, they held onto each other, in hopes of a brighter tomorrow.

* * *

It was finally Friday, Misaki's second-favorite day of the week, following closely behind Sunday; the one day she was free of responsibilities and could spend the entirety of with her friends and Suzuna. After her Student Council obligations, Misaki only had to get through her nightly shift at work before heading home to rest. The minutes could not tick by fast enough.

On today's agenda, Misaki was tasked with sorting through all confiscated materials from this week. A large portion of them were questionable magazines, but also included electronic devices not permitted on school grounds during class, such as cell phones and laptops. This was Misaki's obligation as President every Friday. She didn't mind so much, as she knew her work was all in the name of protecting the female student body. But sometimes she cursed the boys' inability to have self-control, so her job wouldn't be so demanding. She had work soon, and still had to study for the impending end-of-semester exams. Misaki was used to things not going quite her way, though, and learned to just bite her tongue and endure.

Misaki was so engulfed in her dissection process that the Vice President, Yukimura, had to repeat her name several times before finally arousing her attention.

"Ah, sorry," she sheepishly apologized, mentally chastising herself for not being more alert to her surroundings.

"President, it's getting late, I can take over from here if you want to leave," the boy gently offered. Out of the entire male population, Yukimura was the only student that Misaki _didn't_ hate. In fact, she was quite fond of her Vice President, as he held no similar traits to those of his bigoted peers. Glancing at her wrist watch, Misaki realized she had only half an hour to get to work. Scrambling to her feet, she began gathering her belongings.

"Thank you, Yukimura. I leave this in your hands!" she called with a smile before dashing out of the door and down the hallway.

"Geez… That President, always working so hard." Yukimura thought aloud, before sitting in Misaki's place to continue her task.

Maid Latte, Misaki's current place of employment, was at least a 20-minute bike ride from her school, Seika High. Under normal circumstances, the hard-headed and man-hating Misaki would never seek employment under such a seemingly degrading institution. However, once Misaki had caught wind of the substantial pay, and not to mention the decent amount of distance between the café and her area of residence, she couldn't stay away. Her job basically entailed being a hostess whom adorned the persona of a maid. She greeted her guests as "Master" or "Milady", and wore the classical black and white maid dress and apron. The café was quaint, yet held an air of elegance. Being a hole-in-the-wall establishment, it gave off a very homey and pleasant aura. Many guests were regulars, and new guests always left pleasantly surprised with their service.

No one knew of Misaki's "risqué" occupation, other than Suzuna. Being the supreme overlord that she was in school, having her peers see her as a part-time serving maid would completely blow any shred of respect she held. If it weren't for the beautiful bi-weekly paycheck, and the incredibly friendly coworkers, Misaki would have never found herself working in a place like Maid Latte. But given the circumstances, it had been her job for two consecutive years, and she genuinely enjoyed it.

Though she was an outed man-hater, she always treated her customers with a great amount of respect, and played her role flawlessly. She was a favorite between many regulars, male and female alike, and was constantly asked on dates after her shifts. She always politely declined said requests, as she knew there was absolutely no time in her life to be dating. And rightfully so! She didn't want to be dependent on a male whatsoever, and after her father had betrayed her trust so many years ago, who could blame her?

Misaki jumped off her bike before it had come to a complete stop, shoving it into the bike-stand and locking it before dashing into the back entrance. She paid little mind to her sour co-maid, Honoka, who tsk'd her as Misaki hurriedly made her way to the changing room. The two had never gotten along, and Misaki didn't care enough to do anything about it. Her job didn't depend on being buddy-buddy with everyone she worked with, and she was plenty friendly with her other coworkers anyways.

Daring a glance at her wrist watch again, Misaki noted that she only had 3 minutes to change into her uniform and be standing ready at the hostess desk.

 _I can make it_ , she reassured herself.

In 2 minutes and 47 seconds flat, Misaki was pristinely dressed and standing in her position, waiting for the first guest to enter.

The Demon President barely noticed the time flying by until her bubbly manager, Satsuki, told her she could head home for the night.

This was the life of Ayuzawa Misaki; she hadn't known much different since she was forced to grow up so quickly that fateful day.

Misaki left after a cheerful goodbye to her remaining coworker Erika, before heading off. So far, the day hadn't been so bad. Nothing Misaki wasn't accustomed to.

It wasn't until she arrived at home when things took a sudden turn.

Taped securely to the apartment front door read a sign clear as day. Yet Misaki had considerable trouble mentally digesting the words.

"EVICTION NOTICE – EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY"


	2. Chapter 2

**Greetings, Maid-sama enthusiasts of the world. I did not include author's notes in the previous chapter, as I feel opening a story with lots of unecessary words is distracting and takes away from the initial impact. But that's out of the way now, so here I am. Thank you to those that reviewed, and I apologize for the confusing beginning. It will make sense soon enough.**

* * *

Humming had always been a pastime for Usui Takumi. He couldn't recall when he had picked it up, but he often entertained himself on long walks by humming melodies. Sometimes he would compose a tune on the spot that reflected his mood. On incredibly boring days like Friday, Usui wandered around doing just that; humming to himself. His weekly obligations came to a halt at the end of the week, and he found himself travelling to the neighboring city to poke around the local shops and potentially find a new book to dissect. He found that being submerged in complete strangers was quite relaxing, as he wasn't constantly hounded by his fan girls from Seika. However, he was stopped occasionally by young and old women alike, whom seemed enraptured by his "model-esque appearance".

"You look lonely, mind if I keep you company, handsome?" An especially cheeky woman, in her late 20's if Usui had to guess, approached him. She reached out a well-manicured hand to stroke his arm, but he pulled away just in time.

"I'm going to see my granny, miss; she gets cranky when I take too long. Bye then~," Usui said with an almost sarcastic smile, not giving the bodacious woman another chance to speak before moving past her. He had been through this multiple times with multiple women, and found that giving an immediate excuse and continuing on was the most effective response. He had no qualms when it came to rejection, and although he was a genuinely nice person, he had little patience for pestering females. Hands plunged into his pockets, he strolled down the street, not looking for anything in particular but to kill time.

After a few hours of mindless wandering and humming had gone by, Usui began the hike back to his apartment. Nightfall was quickly approaching; Usui noted the reddening sky over the cityscape. En route to the train station, Usui noticed an alley-way that offered a considerable shortcut between a convenience store and a maid cafe. Just as he rounded the corner, he heard the backdoor of Maid Latte swing open. Out walked an unmistakable raven-headed girl. Usui nearly laughed in shock, but contained himself and ducked behind the corner to watch in the safety of the shadows.

Sure enough, the Demon President was leaving after her evening shift as a hostess at the café. She looked around with caution before quickly walking in the direction of the train station. Once she was out of sight, Usui returned to his route.

"Wow," he uttered in a seemingly nonchalant voice, but his mind was wildly turning in thought.

 _Ayuzawa is suddenly very interesting_ , he laughed inwardly to himself.

For the entire train ride home Misaki swore she felt eyes piercing her back, but shook them off and focused instead on her mental checklist for the coming week.

* * *

"EVICTION NOTICE – EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY"

"What… What kind of cruel bastard plays pranks like this?!" Misaki bellowed to no one in particular, waking a few of her "neighbors".

"Sis… We have a problem," Suzuna addressed her sister calmly, yet Misaki still jumped in surprise from her sister's sudden appearance.

"Who put this here, Suzuna?" Misaki asked, anger rooted deep into her voice as she cracked her knuckles. Suzuna didn't flinch a muscle in response to her sister's darkening aura. Instead, she placed a steady hand on Misaki's shoulder and looked into her eyes. Misaki instantly dropped the heated expression, quickly putting together that this was no prank. Trying to maintain an orderly thought process, Misaki immediately pulled out her cheap flip-phone and dialed their landlord. It rang twice before cutting to the voicemail message.

"Hello! This is Haruka Kaito, I cannot reply at the moment. Please call again soon!" His cheery voice only pissed Misaki off more. He had caller ID and knew why she would be calling, yet he rejected the call. Misaki decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and tucked her phone back into her pocket.

"Well, just in case this is serious, we should organize our things and start preparing to move. I'll start looking at local listings. Can you label boxes, Suzuna?" Her sister only gave her a solemn nod in reply, and they headed into their small apartment for presumably the last time.

Though internally Misaki was panicking, she could not exude that mentality in front of Suzuna; she was supposed to be her role model. Since their mother had passed, Misaki made it her greatest priority.

 _Don't let Suzuna down, be her strength, don't falter._

As they had no immediate family to contact, they had no one to live with until they regained their bearings. Though Sakura and Shizuko would have gladly taken them in, Misaki refused to entertain the notion; she would not take her friends for granted and abuse the kindness they had always shown her.

 _If it comes to it, I may ask Sakura or Shizuko to watch over Suzuna for a few days while I sort things out… Even if I have to sleep at the school or in Maid Latte, you will always have a bed, Suzuna. I promise._

* * *

Usui's bed felt unusually uncomfortable that night. He refused to acknowledge that his wandering mind was fully attributed to his discovery earlier that night, and simply dubbed it a bout of restlessness. After laying awake for what felt like eons, Usui kicked the covers of his bed off and sat up, rubbing his forehead. He had started to develop a headache, and deemed that taking a short walk in the fresh air would do more good than downing some aspirin.

The night air was more crisp and chilly than Usui had anticipated, but as he pulled the sweet smell of the atmosphere into his nose, he forgot the bite of the cold. He decided that after a quick walk around the block, he would head back to his apartment and try to rest. Before he could think about what he was doing, Usui began humming a melancholic tune that had burrowed deep into his mind as a child. As the first notes resonated in his throat, he smiled to himself as he was pulled into the memory of the first time he heard it.

* * *

 _"He's old enough to attend, don't you think? I'm sure he's mature enough to sit through an entire performance without causing a ruckus."_

 _"Fine. But one word out of the brat and he'll be staying home for good. Have him ready in 20 minutes or neither of you are going."_

 _"Yes, sir."_

 _…_

 _It was indeed Usui's first concert. He had always been an exceptionally bright child, but never took up the practice of music. His interests laid in complex novella and enthralling fiction fantasies. Sitting in the box just above and left of stage, Usui had a clear view of the entire theater._

 _The audience hummed with unintelligible conversation, and the lights were dimmed just enough to give the air of privacy and intimacy. Suddenly the sliding of the curtains drew his attention away from the crowd below him, and Usui instead trained his vision on the lone grand piano that sat center stage. The piercing white lights that shone above it glistened off of the piano's glossy finish. The black seemed to beckon to Usui like a timeless abyss. The audience silenced, and Usui sat up in his seat in anticipation._

Click, click, click.

 _The silence was shattered by the prominent sound, which echoed through the theatre until its source revealed itself._

 _A woman in a floor length gown, as black and enrapturing as the piano itself, sashayed onto the stage. Her countenance was that of a leader; composed, proud, radiant. Usui's eyes widened as he took in the scene before him, and he audibly gasped in excitement. The elegant nameless woman stopped before the ivory keyed beast, turning to the audience and bowing deeply. She faced the piano and seated herself at the bench, raising her arms delicately over the keys. Usui could see that though her arms relaxed gently above the piano, they were capable of playing incredibly powerful music. He watched on._

 _All at once, a lone note resonated throughout the theater. A swirl of notes followed and danced in Usui's ears. Everything around him fell away; his brother's nervous shifting, his father's hushed talking… All he knew was the sound of_ her _. Lost in the composition, Usui stared on in silence when the audience began to clap. He did not notice that the song had ended until Gerald, his older brother, shook his arm gently._

 _"Usui, are you bored?" He questioned._

 _Usui smiled before asking in return, "What was the name of that song?"_

 _"Clair de Lune, I believe," Gerald replied, though he was certain of his response._

 _"What a pitiful opening, anyone could play that," his father resounded, clearly disappointed in the choice of song._

 _Usui ignored his father's irritation, repeating the name to himself, over and over._

 _The pianist played a barrage of compositions after, all of which were far more complex than her opening piece. But Usui paid them little attention. He admired instead the way her composure never faltered, or how her forehead shone from the sweat, or how her fingers brushed along the ivories like touching a newborn baby, yet produced the most enchanting and powerful sounds._

Clair de Lune _, was all he knew that night._

* * *

As the memory faded off, the last note escaped Usui's vocal chords and he unconsciously came to a stop. He hadn't been paying much attention to where he had wandered, but the second he stopped walking, he was aware that he had not gone "around the block". He couldn't recognize the architecture of the buildings around him all too well; they appeared to be more along working-class apartments than the penthouse style buildings he was accustomed to. He walked a little slower and looked from one apartment building to the next; they all seemed rather lacking in proper upkeep.

In what could only be describe as the purest form of a coincidence, Usui noticed an _unmistakable raven-headed girl_ , leaning against the door of one of the especially decrepit looking apartments.

"Oh?" His voice caught Misaki's attention and she quickly composed her posture and addressed the sudden noise.

"U-…Usui Takumi? What are you doing here?" She questioned suspiciously, not leaving her post at the door.

"I was going to ask the same, but it appears you live here," he offered.

"Not anymore…" she mumbled under her breath, clenching her fist to bite down the aggression she felt towards the entire world.

Usui slowly advanced towards her, to which she pressed her back to the door in response. She hated feeling cornered, and refused to dash into the apartment like a coward. She faced him head on.

"Hm? President, it's pretty cold out tonight. You should go inside and take a bath before you get sick."

"If you don't have any school business with me, please leave," She forced out as calmly as she could manage; he was still walking towards her with an unplaceable emotion deep in his eyes. It unnerved Misaki, and she mentally prepared herself to attack the male that threatened her personal space.

"I have a personal question, actually, Prez," he threw in the nickname just to rile a response out of her.

"You can ask me in public, at school, with _students around to witness._ Goodbye, Usui Takumi," she attempted to turn to open the door behind her to escape his hard gaze.

 _Goddammit! Why does he make me feel so nervous?! I could fight him if I needed to…_

Before she could reach the doorknob, his hand slammed onto the door next to her head.

She failed to contain the startled gasp in response to his sudden advance. His stone cold eyes bored into her own, seeming to see past the amber wall of defense she had.

"Prez, I know your secret," was all Usui could get out before Misaki managed to knee him squarely in the stomach. While he backed away in surprise, and presumably _pain_ , Misaki dashed into her apartment and slammed the door behind her. She fumbled with the lock for a moment before securing it and sighing in relief.

 _What a creep, how dare he try to make an advance on me?!_

Misaki took a deep breath to recompose herself before processing what he had said before she made her escape.

 _"Prez, I know your secret."_

 _What did that mean?!_

It didn't take long for Misaki to narrow it down to one possibility.

"Oh, no."

Misaki flicked open the lock and flung the door open with enough power to kill a man, or two. Usui was still on her porch, which was only a small slab of cement, smiling as if nothing had just transpired between the two. He seemed to have made a stellar recovery from the blow Misaki dealt just moments earlier.

 _What is he, an alien?_

"What secret?!" Misaki demanded, grabbing the culprit by the collar of his shirt.

"Oh, that?" He seemed completely unfazed by Misaki's threatening demeanor, almost amused even.

"Answer the damn question, Usui," Considering the events of the evening, Misaki's patience was dwindling, and this boy's nerve wasn't helping.

"You mean how the Demon President is a maid?" He almost sang, noting the eye twitch Misaki tried to hide.

"Wh-… How do you know about that? Are you a stalker?!" Misaki could barely contain her rage at his point, and began shaking Usui in anger.

"Easy there, Prez. Don't want to wake up the neighbors, now," Misaki immediately loosened her grip on his shirt, and let out a sigh of frustration.

"Come with me," she demanded, and grabbed Usui's arm to strengthen the fact that it was _a demand_.

"A confession so soon? But Ayuzawa, we barely know each other," Usui cooed in a teasing tone. Despite the aggressive nature of the girl with a death grip on his arm, Usui felt incredibly calm.

"Shut up, you pervert. And don't address me so informally; you said yourself that we barely know each other."

* * *

"Ah, it must be hard," Usui offered, having just heard more of Misaki's personal life than the entire population of Seika High.

"It is, but that's no reason for me to slack off. I have to support Suzuna. I'm all she has," Misaki said quietly.

She had never imagined that she would find herself in this situation; confessing her life story to an almost complete stranger. Even if they were classmates, she still had no reason to trust this boy.

"I see," Usui calmly replied with honest sympathy.

"I'd really appreciate if you'd keep this to yourself. I have a reputation at Seika that I need to uphold," Misaki turned to Usui, holding his gaze with her own, emphasizing the severity of the situation with her amber eyes.

"Alright," Usui replied, and Misaki visibly relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief.

"However, I have a few requests if that agreement is to be kept, Prez," He smiled like a devil, breaking Misaki's calm state instantly.

"Eh?!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello.**

 **This chapter is shorter and lacks the closer detail of the previous chapters. I intended to focus on dialogue instead, I hope that's alright. I mildly rushed this chapter as I want to begin uploading to a set weekly schedule, and I will be going home from university for the weekend (I won't have time to write while away from school). The next chapters have already been outlined, and are more complex and progressive than this. For now, here is Chapter 3.**

 **Regards from the chef.**

* * *

Placing the final box of keep-sakes into the trunk of the taxi, Usui wiped his hands in satisfaction.

"Prez, that was the last box. Are you ready to go?" He called to Misaki, whom was busy rummaging through a small suitcase near the doorway of their once 'home'.

"Um, yeah, I just need to make sure I didn't forget something…" She trailed off, but Usui couldn't make sense of her ramblings. Instead he turned his attention to Suzuna, who stood in front of a pile of apples that had sprawled across the pavement, a mangled paper bag resting in her hands.

"Oh," she said to herself, and bent to retrieve the escaped fruit. Just as her hand wrapped around the first apple, Usui gently placed his own over it.  
"Allow me," he offered, and began picking them up at an inhuman speed. Misaki stopped her search to gape at Usui in awe; all of the apples were stacked perfectly in one arm in a matter of seconds.

 _Definitely an alien._

"Onii-chan, are you a superhuman hybrid?" Suzuna's calm yet inquisitive nature drew a chuckle from Usui's lips, and he simply winked at her before carrying the apples to an empty box and placing them into the trunk with the rest of their belongings.

"Suzuna! Don't call him "Onii-chan" so casually!" Misaki scolded her sister, but Suzuna was too busy admiring Usui's fluidity; her sister was a diligent worker, but never so graceful.

Giving up on lecturing her sister on addressing people properly, Misaki returned her attention to the suitcase in front of her, surrounded by bits and bobs strewn about the sidewalk.

 _I'm almost certain I packed it… Where is it?_

Just as Misaki was about to give up and tear through the apartment to find her missing keepsake, her fingers brushed along a cold strip of metal. She sighed in relief as she pulled the frame from under a blanket her mother had sewn. The picture it encased was the only one of the Ayuzawa family that they had; Misaki, Suzuna, and their parents. However, Misaki's mother had folded the section of their father under the picture so it was just the three of them, clinging to one another fondly. It was one of the few times Misaki had seen a genuine smile from her mother. Looking at the photo always left Misaki feeling bittersweet; knowing how much their mother loved them, but accepting they'd never see her again.

The emotions within Misaki swelled as she thought of her bastard of a father, whom was the reason her mother had worked herself to death. The reason Misaki had begun working at such a young age. The reason she and Suzuna were now losing their only place to call home. Her grief and resentment intertwined and consumed her, and a tear struck the glass covering the photo. Realizing that she was crying, Misaki quickly wiped her eyes on her sleeve and collected herself. Tucking the picture and the rest of the contents she had tossed around back into the suitcase, Misaki stood and began walking towards the taxi. That is, until she turned and slammed directly into Usui.

"Watch where you stand, idiot," she attempted to sound assertive, but her remark lacked its usual bite. She turned her face away so that her long black hair would protect her red eyes from Usui's penetrating emerald ones.

He simply placed a gentle hand on her head in response.  
"…Eh?" Misaki barely breathed out in confusion before he spoke.

"Let's go, Ayuzawa."

He walked away, leaving her standing and dazed in front of the apartment. Misaki shook her head and scolded herself for letting him take her off guard.

 _He's still only an acquaintance, after all._

Tucking her small suitcase between a few of the boxes in the trunk, Misaki closed the cover and climbed into the cab. Usui sat in the passenger seat, and the Ayuzawa sisters sat together in the back. As soon as everyone had fastened their seatbelts Usui gave the driver directions to his apartment, but Misaki didn't pay attention. Instead she stared out the tinted cab window, committing the framework of their old apartment into memory. The peeling paint, the faded wood of the door, the cracked sidewalk path; it had been their home. Despite the hardships that Misaki and Suzuna faced, this apartment had still kept them safe all these years without their mother. The cab pulled away, and the building slipped out of sight. Misaki continued to stare out of the window in a daze; Suzuna and Usui made small talk, but all she heard was the whirring of the engine.

* * *

 _"However, I have a few requests if that agreement is to be kept, Prez."_

 _"Eh?!" Misaki was too stunned by his bold statement to reply in an aggressive manner. She looked at Usui in bewilderment, but waited for him to continue. Maybe he was just playing a stupid prank?_

 _But Misaki knew better than that by now._

 _"You and your sister are to live in my apartment for the week while you find a new place to live," Usui responded calmly, turning to make eye contact with Misaki. There was the slightest gleam of mischief in his eyes that immediately brought Misaki back to reality._

 _"Absolutely not."_

 _"Ha? Where will you stay then, Prez?," he pressed, knowing she did not have an answer, "You said yourself, you don't want to trouble your friends."_

 _He made a point that Misaki absolutely could not argue with, but she fought him anyways._

 _"I don't know you that well, for starters. I only opened up to you so you wouldn't tell anyone about my… situation. That doesn't mean I fully trust you, idiot," Misaki retorted, feeling the condescending term a little_ too _easy to throw at him._

 _"I'll be out of town for the week anyways, you won't see me for a majority of your stay. I intended to hire a house-sitter for the time I'd be gone, so let's just say that you're my unofficial employee for the week. Feel free to wear a maid outfi-"_

 _"Not happening," Misaki interjected, having little tolerance for Usui's perverted fantasies. He paused to contemplate the situation, rustling his hand through his golden hair. Misaki made an unconscious mental note that his hair looked like it would feel spikey from being styled._

 _"You stay in my apartment for a week for free, and I get a house-sitter. Now it's a deal, instead of an act of charity. Will that work for you?" Usui offered, dropping his previously playful aura. Misaki could tell that this boy was being genuine, despite his perverted alien-like tendencies._

 _"What about your family? Don't you live together?" Misaki remembered that normal households typically had both parents involved, unlike her own._

 _"I live alone, so it's not a problem," Usui dismissed the topic quickly, much to Misaki's surprise. She had not anticipated Usui to be the independent type._

 _She was still cautious of Usui, but upon weighing the pros and cons of the situation, Misaki decided that this was the best case scenario for her and Suzuna._

 _"Alright, I agree to the terms. But if I even hear so much as a peep about me working part-time in Maid Latte, I'll have your head."_

 _With that, Misaki stuck out her hand to set their agreement in stone, to which Usui coughed in an unsuccessful effort to hide his laughter._

 _"W-What! Did I say something weird?" Misaki ran through her mental transcript, not finding anything odd or embarrassing.  
"You're so old fashioned, Prez," Usui said nonchalantly, only managing to irritate Misaki more, "There's actually one more condition, though."_

 _His dominating gaze fought against hers in an undetectable battle, only the participants knowing how intense the feud was._

 _"What… Is your other condition?" Misaki's anger was almost omnipotent at this point, having surged past the level of annoyance. She hated playing these games, especially with a perverted alien such as him._

 _"Prez owes me one favor. She can't refuse, no matter what~." He emphasized the latter half of his statement as if to poke at the fire already consuming him._

This boy surely does not fear death, _Misaki thought in awe._

 _"What kind of favor?" Misaki insisted, already filing through the possible atrocities he could potentially ask of her._

 _"That's for me to decide, and you to find out," Usui threw in a wink, just to see how far the Demon President could be prodded before unleashing her emotions in a merciless monsoon._

 _"You pervert! I refuse!" Grabbing his shirt collar for the second time in under an hour, Misaki belligerently shook the offender in hopes of knocking that sly grin off of his face. Mission: Impossible._

 _"Fine, we'll just call it an IOU and leave it at that," Usui decided, not leaving much room for discussion. He placed a stern hand on Misaki's iron fist, still tightly bound to his shirt. To Misaki it was like a hot iron had just touched her skin, and she recoiled from the touch, looking away in embarrassment._

 _"Whatever, do what you want. But I will not hesitate to destroy you if you cross the line, perverted alien."  
Usui swore he saw a demonic aura hanging around the President's shoulders, watching his every move with a threatening gaze._

 _"But you said_ whatever _I want, Prez~," Usui teased, enjoying her whirlwind of emotions._

 _"You know what I meant, idiot."_

* * *

Misaki replayed the memory until they arrived at Usui's apartment; a penthouse style building close to the heart of the city.

Misaki quickly put together that Usui's family must be very well-off to be able to afford such a high-end lifestyle for their son. Though one in Misaki's situation might have felt envious of Usui, Misaki simply shrugged it off as the way of fate; she was not concerned with materialistic lifestyles and did not feel jealous of those who lived in the lap of luxury. She enjoyed her own paradise, as the President of the Student Council, and as the caretaker of her sister.

Once the cab had stopped, Usui immediately hopped out and began retrieving boxes from the back, managing to stack a majority of them in his arms. Misaki and Suzuna picked up the last few boxes, not bothering to comment on Usui's superhuman tendencies as they had practically grown accustomed to them at this point.

Trailing shortly behind him, Misaki and her sister looked about the lobby of the apartment building in awe; it appeared closer to that of a luxurious hotel than of a permanent residence.

Tall exotic plants adorned the wide hallway, which sported a plush rug leading to the main elevators. The lobby smelled like sandalwood and lavender, just enough to please the senses, and Misaki inhaled the scent deeply; it smelled like her mother's perfume.

Somehow Usui managed to press the arrow indicating up on the elevator despite his enormous load, and the doors slid open after a momentary wait. The three piled into the elevator, and Misaki half expected some sort of cheesy music to play over the intercom. However, the only noise she heard was the engines powering the machine; no stereotypes were proven on this day.

Misaki watched in disdain as Usui pressed the upper-most button on the panel; "P", for "penthouse". Feeling more dread wash over her, Misaki tried to stabilize herself. She couldn't let this situation overwhelm her more than it already has; she has to stay strong for Suzuna.

"Onii-chan, is there a nice view from your apartment?" Suzuna questioned, ignoring Misaki's lecture earlier that day, which warranted an agitated growl from her sister's direction.

"I'll let you be the judge of that," Usui smiled, managing to slip in a wink once again. The elevator suddenly felt very brooding in nature, and Usui couldn't help but notice that Misaki was anxiously shifting on her feet.

"Something wrong, Prez?" He asked, half-genuine, half-teasing.

"I'm fine," Misaki responded, a little _too_ forcefully, gaining her two inquisitive stares from the other occupants of the elevator.

After what seemed like hours of being too close in proximity to a perverted alien, Misaki was more than relieved when the doors finally slid open again.

Walking a few doors down the hallway, they stopped in front of what was presumably Usui's apartment. He shifted the boxes onto one arm seamlessly and retrieved a key from his pocket. With a twist of the doorknob, Usui's apartment was opened up to the new guests.

It was surprisingly… Plain.

Misaki squinted her eyes, seemingly perplexed as to why his enormous apartment was so sparsely furnished and decorated. It seemed more like a place to just sleep and eat, than a home. Though Misaki and Suzuna had lived under hard conditions their whole life, their place of residence had always felt more welcoming than this.

Wordlessly, Usui placed the boxes on the ground near the door and headed into what Misaki presumed was the kitchen.

"Pardon the intrusion," Misaki and Suzuna called before trailing after him. Suzuna seemed unfazed by the change of environment from what they were accustomed to, but was visibly scrutinizing her surroundings. Misaki tried her best to ignore the highly expensive adornments, focusing more acutely on Usui's actions.

"I'm going to start cooking lunch," Usui began, warranting a surprised stare from Misaki, "The guest room is the first door on the left; please make yourselves comfortable." With that, Usui turned to the stove and began twisting the dials, not allowing Misaki to form a follow-up argument.

Strolling over to the boxes, Misaki noticed a lone framed picture hanging on the wall just adjacent to the kitchen. Upon closer examination, she noticed a very obvious young Usui, accompanied by a dark haired boy whom held a striking resemblance to the King of Perverts. Behind them stood a beautiful blonde woman, a hand each on both of their shoulders. Misaki assumed that this was Usui's mother, and potentially his brother. His father was nowhere to be found, which Misaki found strange, but kept to herself.

Suzuna had already started to reorganize their belongings from the boxes and was carrying them to the room designated to the sisters. Misaki joined her, making a mental note to ask Usui about his family later. Perhaps he had more in common with the Demon President than she had assumed, despite their incredibly differing upbringings.

 _Today, a new chapter begins._


End file.
